Edward Stanley Wurban

Edward Stanley Wurban was born on October 27, 1931, to Steve and Verena Wurban, at home on their farm in the Willow Creek District, near Calmar, Alberta. He was the third of nine children.

Ed was predeceased by Marie, his loving wife of 57 years, on November 6, 2010, and son, Darrell, on September 7, 1979.

Ed suffered a decline in health over the past few years. After a fall in September, he was taken to the hospital in Leduc. He celebrated his milestone 90th birthday from his bed, surrounded by posters, cards, pictures, presents, and a happy videocall with his children.

Though many medical issues surfaced while in hospital, he was eventually able to be transferred to Salem Manor in Leduc, where he had looked forward to more freedom from the isolation and visitation restrictions of Covid.

Ed’s struggle to regain his health ended suddenly on November 17th, 2021, just nine days after his move into Salem Manor in Leduc.

Ed was dearly loved and will be missed terribly by his four children: Audrey Seehagen (Gary), Terry, Glenn (Wanda), Eldon (Bonnie) Wurban, Fifteen grandchildren: Tina Bachand (Marc), Jason St Louis (Staci), Tom Seehagen (Michelle), Angela Seehagen (Jesse), Derek (Leanne), Amanda Peck (John), Kyle, Blaine (Alanah), Luke (Cristina), Jamie Rideout (Trevor), Jodie, Kevin (Jamie), Adam (Dreann), Braden (Brittney), and Conley (Sarah); great-grandchildren: Emily, Matthew, Ryan, Samantha, Teagan, Blake, Rayen, Nia, Hailey, Saige, Dax, Brenley, Parker, and Felix; brother Howard Wurban, sisters Irene Eisenman and Donna Noble (Charles), as well as 17 nieces and nephews, relatives, neighbours, and friends.

Ed could be counted on for an enjoyable conversation. He had an excellent memory and was quick-thinking and witty. He had poems, sayings, words in other languages, and songs learned as a young man in school and at home, ready to add to any situation. He easily recited whole poems just for an occasion, to entertain, or to make a point.

Ed was an avid reader who would find a book, like Popular Mechanics, to teach himself how to do the thing that needed doing, like electrical wiring, plumbing, and building, to name just a few. He liked things done well, generously welding or lending a hand to neighbours and family. His attitude toward learning, work ethic, skill, and instinctive resourcefulness was readily handed down.

Ed also read for pleasure, after a hard day’s work on the farm. He would sit in the rocking chair and escape into a northern adventure story, history, a sports biography, or poetry.

Ed’s first job was janitor at Willow Creek School, where he worked early mornings to light the fire and after school, so he could complete a higher level of school - grade ten.

His first job in the oilpatch was roughneck, on a rig north of Devon. Ed worked his way up to derrick man, boiler operator, and finally driller. After working a string of nights, especially in the cold of winter, Ed and the crew often slept for a few hours in the warm boiler room before heading home. It was a hard and dangerous job. After Ed and Marie’s third child was born, he left rig work. For the rest of his life Ed told stories about his days on the rigs and paid close attention to what was going on at the leases in the Leduc Oilfield. With a gleam in his eye, he was ready for rig talks.

Ed and Marie bought their farm from father-in-law, Andrew Beck. The first years, especially, were filled with back breaking work, as a great deal of brush clearing and rock picking was needed to clear more land for planting. Ed and Marie were a farming team.

Ed was a farmer through and through and was grateful for the crops that yielded, the years that Buckinghorse Lake didn’t overflow, for big vegetable gardens and preserves, and for the animals that fed the family. He constantly worried about the weather, as drought, hail, and flooding would make for lean harvests.

Ed held jobs in construction during winter months until studying welding at the Chicago Vocational School in Edmonton, which opened the door for working in a job he enjoyed, welding tanks in Nisku, while still farming. After retirement from welding, Ed continued to work the farm until well into his 80’s.

He enjoyed his weekly shopping visits to Leduc where he could share a coffee and conversation with other seniors.

The funeral will be held on Friday, November 26, 2021, at 1:00 pm at Glen Park Community Hall. Covid Restriction Exemption program, masks, and social distancing in effect.

For those unable to attend but wish to send a card, mail c/o Eldon Wurban, RR#4 Calmar T0C 0V0.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Glen Park Cemetery Maintenance Society or a charity of one’s choice.